Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-11-16
z Serial Sturp.
THE NINE OF HEARTS.
BY B. L. FARJEON.
PART THE THIRD.

THE MYSTERY OF THE NINE OF HEARTS.
"From Mr.. Bainbridge, @. c., to Archi-
bald Laing, Esq:
"DEAR SIR: Last night I received your
cable from Pittsburg, and sent you mes
sage in reply, accepting the commission
with which you have been pleased
to intrust me. This morning 1 called
upon Messrs. Morgan & Co., bankers,
Threadneedlc street, and learned from
them that thny were prepared to ad-
vance me the $4,000 of which you
advised me. l drew upon them for that
amount, and received from them q noti-
fication that they would honor my
further drafts upon them the moment
they were drawn. asked them whether,
in the event Of my desiring to draw, say
$4,000, was at liberty to do so. They
said yes, for even q larger amount if
required it. did not explain to them the
reason of my asking the question, but I
will do so to you. 1t has happened, in
difficult cases, that information has had
to be purchased, and that bribe more or
less tempting has had to be held out to
some person or persons to unlock their
tongues. I have no reason to
suppose that anything of the sort
will be necessary in this case,
but I wish to feel myself per-
fectly free in the matter. I am satisfied
with your bankers replies, and I shall
spare neither money nor exertion in the
endeavor to unravel the mystery which
Layton.
''It is scarcely possible you can be aware
of it, but it is nevertheless O fact that,
apart from my professional position in
this matter, take in it an interest which
is purely personal, and mat my sympa-
thies arc in unison with your own.
Were it not that have had some knowl-
edge of Mr.. Layton, and that I esteem
him, and were it not that I firmly believe
in his innocence I should perhaps have
hesitated to engage myself in his case,
and you will excuse my saying that your
liberal views upon the subject Of funds
might have failed to impress me. 1t is,
therefore, q matter of congratulation that
I enlist myself on Mr.. Layton's side as
much upon personal as upon professional
grounds. The time has been too short for
anything yet to be done, but it will be a
satisfaction to you to learn that I have q
slight clew to work upon. 1t is very
slight, very frail, but it may lead to some
thing important. Your desire for full
and complete recital Of my movements
shall be complied with, and I propose,
to this erd, and for the purpose
Of coherenc and explicitness, to forward
the particulars to you from time to time,
not in the form of letters, but in narrative
shape. This mode of giving you informa-
tion will keep me more strictly to the sub
ject matter, and will be the means of
avoiding depression. After the receipt,
therefore, of this letter, what have to
say will 60 forth under numbered head
ings, not in my own writing, but in that
of a short hand reporter, whom shall
specially employ. could not myself un-
dertake such detailed and circumstan-
tial account as 1 understand is your de-
sire to obtain. Besides, it will save time,
which may be of great value in the eluci-
dation of this mystery.
~ am, dear sir, faithfully yours,
"HoRACE BAINBRIDGE.